Thoracic

Question 1

Treatment of mesothelioma:

Answer 1

Chemotherapy, radiation, surgery
- pleurodesis (palliative), pleurectomy/decortication (limited disease), extrapleural pneumonectomy (removal of lung, pleura, pericardium, and diaphragm

Question 2

What are the different types of mesothelioma? Which one has the most favorable prognosis?

Answer 2

Types: epithelial, sarcomatoid, and mixed

Epithelial histology does better than sarcomatoid

Question 3

What is a (Stanford) type A aortic dissection?

Answer 3

All dissections that involve the ascending aorta

Question 4

What is a (Stanford) type B aortic dissection

Answer 4

Involves the descending aorta or aortic arch, but doesn’t involve the ascending aort

Question 5

What are the indications for treating a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm?

Answer 5

1. Type A dissection
2. Failure of medical management or medically uncontrolled HTN
3. Expanding aortic diameter
4. Progressive dissection
5. Impending or actual rupture
6. Malperfusion

Question 6

What’s the operative indication for Type A aneurysm? For type B aneurysm? Aortic expansion?

Answer 6

1. Type A: aneurysm size >/= 5.5cm
2. Type B: aneurysm size >/= 6.5cm
3. Aortic expansion >1cm/yr